Minutes after news hit that the Oakland Athletics surprisingly landed Boston Red Sox starter Jon Lester in a trade on Thursday, both A's general manager Billy Beane and "Moneyball" -- analytical approach to the game that has kept the cash-strapped club competitive -- were trending on Twitter.

Pictures of Brad Pitt (who played Beane) of Jonah Hill (whose character was based on former A's assistant GM and current Mets executive Paul DePodesta) from the 2011 movie "Moneyball" soon hit social media.

More than a few felt that Beane had ditched his approach to acquiring talent -- first detailed in the 2004 book "Moneyball" by Michael Lewis that was the basis for the movie -- as the A's swooped in to land Lester. The A's sent power-hitting outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to make Lester part of their already solid rotation.

The A's also received outfielder Jonny Gomes, while the Red Sox get a draft pick as part of the deal. The team acquired starters Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel earlier this season in a deal with the Chicago Cubs.